Carton dispenser



Oct. 2, 1951 L. H. TOBEY 2,570,167

CARTON DISPENSER Filed Oct. 25, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. L EONh. 7085) HIS ATTORNEY L. H. TOBEY CARTON DISPENSER Oct. 2 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1949 INVENTOR. LEON H. TUBE) ZMW H/s:ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1951 CARTON DISPENSER Leon Tobey, Newark, N.Y., assignor to Bloomer Bros. Company, Newark, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application October 25, 1949, Serial No. 123,361

3 Claims. (01. 312-43) This invention relates to combination containersand dispensers for cartons made of cardboard and similar foldable sheetmaterials and suitable for packing ice cream and like products forretail distribution.

One object of this invention is to provide a dispenser of the abovecharacter having a more simple, economical, and practical construction.Another object is to provide a dispenser adapted to hold a plurality ofcartons and provided with a means by which the lowermost carton can bequickly and easily removed.

Another object is to provide a container having the above advantages inwhich the removal of the lowermost carton automatically positions forremoval the next succeeding carton. Another object is to provide adispenser of the above nature, which, on removal of each carton, willsimultaneously erect a plurality of foldable carton cover flaps.

Another object is to provide a dispenser having the above advantages andwhich is easily movable, adjustable, and adaptable to particular uses.

Another object is to provide a dispenser of the above nature having anopening in the front thereof so that the number of cartons containedwithin can readily be determined and the dispenser refilled asnecessary.

Another object is to provide a dispenser having in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser embodying the presentinvention and shown as attached to a mounting rod and containing aplurality of cartons;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lower end of the dispenser brokenaway and showing the flap erecting means;

Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view showing the attachment of the mountingbracket;

f Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a carton with the flaps in thedownwardly folded position which they occupy as supplied in nestedquantities by the boxmaker;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the same after the flaps have beenerected by the dispenser, showing said flaps in desired position forfilling the carton with semi-solid ice cream or like material;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1,showing a series of cartons ready for separate removal;

Fig. '7, the first of a series of four figures showing the removal of acarton, is similar to Fig. 6 but represents the operators hand pressingthe front carton flap inwardly against the carton front as the firststep in the removal of a carton;

Fig. 8, similar to Fig. 7, shows the lowermost carton partially removedwith the next succeeding carton supporting the remaining cartons;

Fig. 9, similar to Fig. 8, shows the action of the dispenser in erectingthe carton flaps;

Fig. 1D is similar to Fig. 9, but showing the carton substantiallyremoved and the rear flap erected, and v Fig. 11 is a sectional planview on line ll--ll in Fig. 2.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed by way of illustrationcomprises, preferably, a hollow, rectangular, tube-like container, showngenerally at 20, the upper end of which bends outwardly to form anenlarged outwardly flaring entrance, shown generally at 2|. Thesides 22and back 23 terminate at the lower end there'- of in openings or notches25 and 26, respectively, for a purpose hereafter described. Back 23 isprovided with a mounting bracket 21, Fig. 3, through which bolt 28passes to secure said bracket to rod 29 which forms part of a suitablesupporting standard not shown in the drawings.

The dispenser 26 has preferably a rectangular cross section, Figs. 2 and11, slightly larger than the top cross section of carton 30, Figs. 6-10,suitable for holding a plurality of said nested cartons, open endupward, as shown generally at 3|, Fig. 1.

Side flaps 32, front flap 33 and rear flap 34, Figs. 4 and 5', arecommonly folded downwardly on each nested carton as it comes from themanufacturer, as shown in Figs. 6-10. These flaps are creased foreventual upward folding and interlooking to thereby form the top closureof said carton,- but when the cartons are unstacked by ordinary method'sand left to stand, flaps 32, 33 and 34 tend to retain the downwardlyfolded position which they occupy While stacked in nested relation asshown in Figs. 4 and 6. Thus, after filling of the carton, flaps 32,then flap 33, and finally flap 34 would have to be pulled upwardly andthen bent downwardly and interlocked over the exposed surface of the icecream, thereby forming the top of the carton, all of which is cumbersomeand time-consuming. This dispensing device, designed to reduce fatigueand speed up production, as will hereinafter be described, isconstructed to partially erect flaps 32 and 34 while the carton is beingwithdrawn from the device, leaving front flap 33 in its down foldedposition, as shown in Fig. 5, for the purposes hereafter described.

Front 24 has at its lower edge two inwardly projecting finger members36, Figs. 2. 6-10. As flaps 32, 33 and 34 tend to spring outwardly theyride against the inside of the dispenser walls, and flap 33 will come torest on members 36, thus preventing that carton and all those nestedabove it from passing through the bottom of the dispenser. Front 24 hasat the lower edge thereof between members 36, an upwardly extendingrecess or notch 31, Fig. 2, exposing a portion of flap 33, as said flaprests on members 36 as in Fig. 1-.

When it is desired to remove the lowermost carton the operator merelypresses inwardly through notch 31 against flap 33 until said fiap movesinwardly off'the ends of members 36, after which the carton is readilyremoved by a downward pull. As this carton is removed the remainingcartons drop down slightly until flap 33 of the next succeeding cartonrests on members 36. v

. With flap 33 resting on members 36, flaps 32 partially extend intonotch 25, Fig. 1, and similarly flap 34 partially extends into notch 26,Figs. 6-10, inclusive. As the lowermost carton is pulled downwardly,flaps 32 and 34 tend to spring upwardly and in so doing they extendoutwardly through notches and 26, respectively, so that as the, top ofsaid carton reaches the lower edge of said notches, flap 32 extendingoutwardly will ride over wire members 38 while flap 34 will in a similarmanner ride over wire member 39 as shown in the case of flap 34 in Figs.6-10, inclusive. Members 38, preferably of rigid wire, connect the lowerfront and rear corners on each side 22 of the container and thereby formthe lower edges of, and close, openings 25. Member 39, of similarconstruction, connects the lower corners of back 23, thereby forming thelower edge of, and closing, opening 26. As the downward movement of saidcarton continues, said fingers will strike against flap 32 and 34 andforce them upwardly as the carton is removed. Thus when said carton isremoved, flaps 32 and 34 have been bent upwardly by said wire members sotheir position is now similar to that shown in Fig. 5. Flap 33, however,is not erected, but may be easily held tight against the carton wall.

The widely used instant-freeze type of ice cream packing machine whichfills the cartons with ice cream in a semi-solid state requires the useof cartons which have their cover flaps folded downwardly along thesides thereof so as not to interfere with the filling spout. Theoperator can then easily position the spout in the open end of thecarton and when the carton is filled, use one of the firm upper edges ofthe carton to wipe any excess ice cream off the filling spout and at thesame time level the top of the ice cream in the carton. If the cartonsare simply removed from their shipping containers and filled as aboveoutlined, the cover flaps will be in positions. similar to those shownin Fig. 4, which,

although convenient, leave the flaps in downturned positions in whichthey are not readily accessible for folding upwardly to close the cartontop, The above container, however, allows the use of cartons which comewith their flaps folded downwardly and at the same time it speeds up theprocess of closing said cover flaps. Thi it achieves by erecting flaps32 and 34 to positions as shown in Fig. 5 so that while said flaps donot interfere with the filling of said cartons, they are in position foreasy manual or machine closure. left in itsdownwardly folded position sothat one firm carton edge 35 is still available for wiping off the spoutas described above. The above container has the further advantage ofproviding window means whereby the number of cartons in said containercan be readily determined.

It is evident from the above description that the invention provides aconvenient carton dispenser for receiving a nested stack of cartons asreceived from the box factory and holding them in such a way that thecartons may be easily grasped and removed one at a time for filling withthe flaps of the filling opening already disposed in convenientpositions for filling at the usual dispensing nozzle and for thereafterbeing folded to close the carton. These advantages are obtained by aconstruction which is simple and practical in character and capable ofbeing readily manufactured at a relatively low cost.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects andWhile it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of apreferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure isintended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it iscontemplated that Various modifications in the construction andarrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art,within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carton dispenser for rectangular cartons for ice creamand the likehaving an open top providedwith a plurality of foldably connectedclosure flaps therefor, said dispenser comprising a tube-like containerof rectangular cross section adapted for holding a nested stack of saidcartons with the tops thereof uppermost and said flaps folded downwardlysubstantially against the carton sides, means on one side of saidcontainer adjacent the lower end thereof for engaging the lower edge ofone of said flaps while leaving a portion of said flap exposed formanual accessibility, for yieldably retaining said cartons in saidcontainer with the bottom of the lowermost carton extending accessiblybelow the lower end of said container and a plurality of members locatedbelow and spaced from the remaining sides of the container,respectively, for engaging under the remaining flaps to fold the sameupwardly as said exposed fiap and the bottom of said carton are graspedand withdrawn from the container.

2. A carton dispenser for rectangular cartons for ice cream and the likehaving an open top provided with a plurality of foldably connectedclosure flaps therefor, said dispenser comprising a tube-like containerof rectangular cross section adapted for holding a nested stack of saidcartons With the tops thereof uppermost and folded downwardlysubstantially against the carton sides, means adjacent the lower end ofsaid container for engaging the lower edge of one of said flaps whileleaving 3.

Also one flap, in this instance flap 33, is

portion of said flap exposed for manual accessibility, for yieldablyretaining said cartons in said container with the bottom of thelowermost carton extending accessibly below the lower end of saidcontainer, said container having the lower ends of a plurality of itssides formed with openings larger in size than said carton flaps,respectively, and through which the flaps of a lowermost carton projectwhile being withdrawn downwardly from said container and membersbridging the lower ends of said openings to engage under said flaps andfold the same partially upwardly as said exposed flap and the bottom ofsaid carton are grasped and withdrawn from said container.

3. A carton dispenser for rectangular cartons for ice cream and the likehaving an open top provided with a plurality of foldably connectedclosure flaps therefor, said dispenser comprising a tube-like containerof rectangular cross section adapted for holding a nested stack of saidcartons with the tops thereof uppermost and said flaps folded downwardlysubstantially against the carton sides, inwardly projecting finger meansadjacent the lower end of said container for engaging the lower edge ofone of said flaps,

said container having its lower end recessed for manual access to saidflaps, for yieldably retaining said cartons in said container with thebottom of the lowermost carton extending accessibly below the lower endof said container, said container having the lower ends of a pluralityof its sides formed with openings larger in size than said carton flaps,respectively, and through which the flaps of the lowermost cartonproject while being withdrawn downwardly from said container and wireelements bridging the lower ends of said openings to engage under saidflaps and fold the same partially upwardly as said exposed flap and thebottom of said container are grasped and withdrawn from said container.

LEON H. TOBEY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 5 1,134,651Tramell Apr. 6, 1915 1,910,924 Klefeker May 23, 1933

